Form is always relevant to poetry, so it's interesting to see Richard doing a mix of half rhyme, half free-verse with uneven line breaks.

The subject itself is slippery, and I'll have to read it several more times to really get a handle on it. There's at least two level of reactionary commentary going on, and when meta-levels start appearing, higher orders start negating the first, literal level.

I just wanted to note that I thought the June Poetry selection was particularly good. It started strong with A Biblical Conundrum and just kept up the quality, throughout.

Wolf's Bane was haunting and the double play on words Scifaiku was so perfect, I'm shocked that I've never seen at least something like it, before. Both Magnus Retail and Oh, Heavenly Body! were good for a grin and Wounded Bear made me just sit and think, for a while, about Science Fiction stereotypes of all kinds.

Don't Run —once I read where the author resides, caused me to go back for a re-read and get a completely different story the second time. I'm not sure I've ever had this particular two-for-the-price-of-one experience before.

I don't think I've ever seen a single month's Poetry Section that was this consistently strong. There is usually something that leaves me scratching my head and wondering what I missed.

I doff my metaphorical chapeau to all the authors. You all did that word trick we call poetry the way it should be done.

Bravo! (And Brava! for Ms. Crowell) to you.

Bill Wolfe

"I am Susan Ivanova. . . .I am the Right Hand of Vengence. . .I am Death Incarnate, and the last living thing that you are ever going to see. God sent me."

Scifaiku was so perfect, I'm shocked that I've never seen at least something like it, before.

Hey Bill! :)

Wow! Did you call my "scifaiku" perfect?

Thanks! :)

I'm not sure I would actually go that far; my attempt at becoming a "scifaikuist" is still evolving. Still, thanks for the compliment.

I just recently discovered the "scifaiku" format of genre poetry, but it's apparently been around at least since 1995. I really became interested in the format when I discovered the Sam's Dot Publication Scifaikuest. Seeing some of the "scifaiku" there inspired me to give it a try.

There are several more example of my scifaiku, as well as horroku and other forms of poetry, on my personal web site, Azure Lion Productions. I've got art there as well. It, too, is an evolving project.

By the way, hello everyone! :) I know this is my first post on Aphelion's Lettercolumn. I've been really busy with a poetry composing blitz, when I haven't been busy with home educating my daughter. My work (genre poetry and illustrations) will start appearing in several print and on-line publications later this year. I've already got a few things out there, here and there, like my "scifaiku" here on Aphelion.

Cheers!

"I'm going to do what the warriors of old did. I'm going to recite poetry!"